Attaching device for cords and the like



Dag; 34, 1957 J. cs. MILLS ATTACHING DEVICE FOR CORDS AND THE LIKE Filed April 29, 1954 7L4. gum smog. 51 M Q6,

United States Patent ATTACHING DEVICE FOR CORDS AND THE LIKE John G. Mills, Somerville, Mass.

' Application April 29, 1954, Serial No. 426,499

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-126) This invention relates to a device to attach to cords and the like, so the latter may be drawn to any desired position or otherwise used.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved device whereby it may be quickly attached to a cord or line and quickly detached therefrom.

Another object is to so combine the moving parts of my device that the steps taken to attach to a cord or line and then make the attachments secure, are so simple as to be practically obvious.

The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawings nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my device, attached to a chain shown broken away.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, also showing a rope in dot and dash lines, broken away, just after it is attached to the gripping member.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3; but showing the gripping member drawn into the housing, carrying an end portion of the rope securely attached, with it.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

As illustrated, my attaching device is connected to a hollow swivel link L from which extends a chain C at the end of which are weights W, the latter being used to serve as a leader when drawing a window cord or rope R into the position desired.

Said device has a connecting member 12 shown as a screw which movably extends into the interior of said link, being kept there by an enlarged or ball end 14. At the other end of said connecting member 12 is the usual head 16 having a slot 18 at opposite ends of which slot are recesses 20 extending longitudinally of the connector through said head 16.

A retaining receptacle 24 has a reduced portion 26 extending towards said ball end 14 that is interiorly screw threaded as at 28. It also has a larger or cup portion 30 at its outer end. Said connecting member 12 extends into and screw-threadedly connects with said reduced portion while its slotted head remains in said cup portion 30.

Freely movable outside said retaining receptacle is a housing 32 open at both ends, having a flared outer part 34 which is sufliciently large to loosely receive said retaining receptacle cup portion 30. A reduced inner part 36 receives said cup portion 30, and is turned inwardly at its inner end as at 37 so that its width at the end is less than that of said retaining receptacle cup portion 30.

A gripping member 38 which may be made of spring wire, has a semi-circular anchoring portion 40 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, which fits under the head 16 of said connecting screw 12. It also has two jaws 42 which extend from said anchoring portion 40 through said recesses 20 at opposite sides of the slot, which jaws terminate in hook-shaped ends 44 extending inwardly towards, but spaced from each other. These jaws 42 extend radially outwardly away from each other; but they are flexible and can be compressed towards each other so as to enter said housing, under pressure.

To attach an end of rope R to my device, part of said Y retaining receptacle is drawn out of said housing and an end rope is placed between the said spring. jaws, withsaid hooked ends penetrating the rope fibers in the position shown in Fig. 3. Said retaining receptacle jaws and rope are then pushed into said housing, compressing said jaws towards each other and causing said hooked ends to penetrate farther into the rope. When said jaws are within the housing the rope enters the smaller, inner end of the retaining receptacle, and the assembly is securely held within the housing substantially as shown in Fig. 4. Any pulling action on the chain C tends to draw the rope into the housing towards the chain, so that the rope is held at its innermost position within the housing.

What I claim is:

1. An attaching device for cords and the like comprising a housing having openings at opposite ends and the outer portion of said housing having a flared end, a retaining receptacle movably extending into said housing having a relatively large outer portion and a relatively small inner portion, said inner portion having interior screw threads, a separate, connecting member extending into said receptacle and having exterior screw threads and having an inner end extending beyond said receptacle and having a slotted head at its outer end within said retaining receptacle large outer portion, and a gripping member embodying an anchoring portion held by said head within said retaining receptacle and embodying two resilient jaws extending from said anchoring portion through radially outwardly and beyond said retaining receptacle and housing and being spaced apart farther than the maximum width of said housing at their outer ends, the opening at one end of said housing being of less width than the width of said retaining receptacle large outer portion whereby said retaining receptacle cannot pass through said latter opening.

2. An attaching device for cords and the like comprising a housing having openings at opposite ends and the outer portion of said housing having a flared end, a re taining receptacle movably extending into said housing having a relatively large outer portion and a relatively small inner portion, said inner portion having interior screw threads, a separate, connecting member extending into said receptacle and having exterior screw threads that screw-threadedly connect with said interior screw threads and having an inner end extending beyond said receptacle and having a slotted head at its outer end, and a gripping member embodying an anchoring portion held by said head within said retaining receptacle and embodying two resilient jaws extending from said anchoring portion through radially outwardly and beyond said retaining receptacle and housing and being spaced apart farther than the maximum width of said housing at their outer ends, said jaws embodying hooked ends extending towards each other, the opening at one end of said housing being of less width than the width of said retaining receptacle large outer portion whereby said retaining receptacle cannot pass through said latter opening.

3. An attaching device for cords and the like comprising a housing having openings at opposite ends and the outer portion of said housing having a flared end, a re taining receptacle movably extending into said housing Patented Dec. 24, 1951.

having a relatively large outer portion and a relatively small inner portion, said inner portion having interior screw threads, a separate, connecting member extending into said receptacle and having exterior screw threads that screw-threadedly connect with said interior screw threads and having an enlarged inner end extending beyond said receptacle and having a slotted head at its vouter end and having recesses at opposite ends of said slot that extend through said head, and a gripping member embodying an anchoring portion held by said head within said retaining receptacle and embodying two resilient jaws extending from said anchoring portion through said recesses radially outward and beyond said retaining retaining receptacle and housing and being spaced apart farther than the maximum width of said housing at their outer ends, said jaws embodying hooked ends extending inwardly and towards each other, the opening at one end of said housing being of less width than the width of said retaining receptacle large outer portion whereby said retaining receptacle cannot pass through said latter opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 712,239 Barrett Oct. 28, 1902 809,551 Brunner Jan. 9, 1906 852,951 Harnischfeger May 7, 1907 892,162 Kennedy June 30, 1908 1,507,590 Flagg Sept. 9, 1924 1,689,889 Nunes Oct. 30, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 370,341 France Feb. 4, 1907 

